This series mostly consists of correspondence between Shearston and University of Queensland Press (UQP) during his time with them, from 1977 to 1998. Included are the memorandum of agreements for his first three works of fiction published with UQP.

This series contains drafts and notes. A straight young back had the working titles 'The old magic touch' and the 'Walk novel'.

This series contains drafts, notes, newspaper cuttings, and correspondence. Something in the blood was published by University of Queensland Press (UQP) in 1979. Consisting of fifteen (15) short stories set in Papua New Guinea before its Independence. The short story Drowning was first published in the New Guinea Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 3, 1975-76. Some stories contain short passages in Pidgin. The stories deal with the themes of local customs, attitudes, acts of aggression, missionaries, loneliness, and racism. Includes drafts, cuttings of reviews from journals and magazine, scripts of radio plays adapted from the stories, and related correspondence.

This series contains drafts, notes, newspaper cuttings, and correspondence. While lies by Trevor Shearston was published by University of Queensland Press in 1986. It is set on a remote mission station in Papua New Guinea in the early 1970's and tells the story of the conflict between the powerful and primitive forces of the local Gewa sorcerer and healer, Sebo, and the missionary, Richard Wakely. Initial drafts of the novel were titled 'Black sheep', which Shearston also used to write a screenplay by the same name.

This series contains drafts, notes, photographs and research material. A straight young back is narrated in the first person by David Apps, a cadet government officer who arrives in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea in 1963. Apps works for Hal Franklin, a District Commissioner. As the country moves towards self-government and independence, Apps is slowly corrupted by the power of ruling. Based on true story of the assassination in August 1971 of Jack Emanuel, District Commissioner. Emanuel was murdered deep in the the forest on a Rabaul plantation. The working titles for the novel were 'The old magic touch' and the 'Walk novel'.

This series contains drafts, notes, newspaper cuttings, research material and correspondence. Sticks that kill was published by University of Queensland Press in 1983. Initially the novel was preceded by a stage play called Goaribari. This series includes drafts, handwritten notes, research material, cuttings of reviews from journals and magazines, and material removed or deleted from the novel.

The novel is set in British New Guinea and covers a very short period from 1900 to 1903. The story centers around John Rhys, newly arrived to Port Moresby, who works as clerk to the Government Secretary, Mr Ellison. During Rhys's time there the tensions of colonial government (with Britain and Australia both having responsibility for the region during this time) , missionaries, and the local population are revealed.

Shearston first conceived of 'Game' as a screenplay in the mid-1990s. He notes that “it failed to find production money”. This series includes typescripts, research material relating to the screenplay 'Game' (never produced). It is based on the last days of legendary bushranger Ben Hall.

Photographs (b&w and colour) taken during location scouting trips for the filming of 'Game' in 1995 and 1997.

This series contains drafts, notes, newspaper cuttings, research material and correspondence. Tinder [novel], published by Scribner in 2002, had several working titles: 'The fire lovers', 'Fire in the hand', and 'Zippo : a cautionary tale'. Set in Katoomba and narrated by the central character, Graham, it follows his sexual awakening.

This series contains cuttings from journals or the journals with four short stories by Shearston and two unpublished play scripts.